Mastering Headshot Photography: 17 Tips for Success
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Mastering Headshot Photography: 17 Tips for Success

Headshot Photography: Our 17 Top Tips for Nailing a Great Headshot Headshot photography seems simple! It’s one person, sitting or standing still, and all you need is one or two good photographs.  That all may be true, but for many, it can be a stressful session because you want to make sure your client is…

Why Everyone Needs a Prime Lens!
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Why Everyone Needs a Prime Lens!

Prime Lens: What is it? What can you do with it? Whether you just took the leap into the wonderful world of photography or you have been at it for a while, no doubt you got to a point where the ‘kit lens’ that came with your brand new camera, just wasn’t enough anymore. Maybe…

All You Need To Know About Using a Fisheye Lens
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All You Need To Know About Using a Fisheye Lens

When Do You Need to Have Fisheye Lens and How to Use It for Better Image Collection? Before talking any further, let’s understand in simple terms what a fisheye lens is. It’s an ultra-wide angle lens that is used to create a wide panoramic view in a hemispherical image and brings about a lot of…

All You Need To Know About The Telephoto Lens
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All You Need To Know About The Telephoto Lens

What is a Telephoto Lens? A telephoto lens is a lens with a long-focal-length. This lens  magnifies object that are far away and helps you take a picture from a distance without disturbing your subject. Telephoto lenses are those that have a focal length of 100mm and above. The longer the focal length, the greater…

Canon 50mm f/1.2L Lens Review: a Hands On Practical Review
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Canon 50mm f/1.2L Lens Review: a Hands On Practical Review

I love 50mm lenses, mostly for their versatile and natural focal length. Whether you are shooting portraits, smaller details, lifestyle, or just looking for a good every day lens, you really can’t beat the focal length of a 50mm. I recently had the opportunity to rent a Canon 50mm f/1.2L lens from our friends over…

Cole’s Clique Elite Member June Spotlight

Cole’s Clique Elite Member June Spotlight

I am telling you, every day  it’s a party in the Cole’s Clique Elite Private Facebook group.  But don’t get me wrong, it’s not only fun and games, we’re serious about improving our photography and for many like Leslie & Jessica – boosting their photography business too. None of this comes easy.  You have to…

Best Portrait Lens on a Budget: 5 ways the 85mm f1.8 Delivers!
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Best Portrait Lens on a Budget: 5 ways the 85mm f1.8 Delivers!

Are you looking for the best portrait lens on a budget? If you are making your way into the photography industry, chances are you are looking to get killer photos of your clients while building your business on a budget. And who can blame you? We want our clients to look their best and we don’t…

23 Random Facts About Cole from Cole’s Classroom

23 Random Facts About Cole from Cole’s Classroom

One way or another you’ve stumbled upon Cole’s Classroom, and THANK YOU for being here!  It might have been from Facebook, or YouTube or Google or perhaps a friend of yours told you about Cole’s Classroom – at any rate, you’ve likely seen my face or read my words but do you really know me?…

Nikon 85 1.8G Lens Review – Your Best Bang for Buck?
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Nikon 85 1.8G Lens Review – Your Best Bang for Buck?

While it’s no secret I love prime lenses and favor them over zooms I wanted to write a mini review of one of the Nikon prime lenses that Nicole and I use a ton… It’s the Nikon 85 1.8G lens.  If you’ve done any research at all on this lens you’ll notice right away it…

Nikon 16-35 f/4 Lens Review!
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Nikon 16-35 f/4 Lens Review!

When you need to go wide, you need to go wide! While I managed to photograph over 47 weddings with only 3 prime lenses (the 28, 50 and 85) I decided that I want to add a couple lenses to our collection that would add versatility to our clients’ wedding photos. In addition to adding…

Why the New Nikon 35 1.8G FX Lens is a Game Changer!
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Why the New Nikon 35 1.8G FX Lens is a Game Changer!

Why the New Nikon 35 1.8G FX Lens is a Game Changer! (Above Photo Tech details: D800 + 50mm at f/1.8, edited with “Soft Creamy Color – Warmer” preset) For the vast majority of today’s photographers who’s first DSLRs are entry level “crop sensor” cameras (like the Nikon D3200 or a Canon Rebel), the decision…

The Newborn Photography Workshop for the On-Location Photographer!

The Newborn Photography Workshop for the On-Location Photographer!

After months of planning & creating, I am so pleased to announce the release of our online Newborn Photography Workshop for the On-Location Photographer! My goal for this online newborn photography workshop was to be able to create a comprehensive and complete newborn photography training resource that anyone could watch and have the knowledge, tools…

Should I Upgrade or Keep The Kit Lens?
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Should I Upgrade or Keep The Kit Lens?

Should I Upgrade or Keep The Kit Lens? Here are my top 3 reasons why you should upgrade your kit lens… The beauty of having a DSLR camera is the versatility you have available by using a variety of lenses.  Despite this freedom of being able pick and choose the right lens for the job,…

Nikon Lenses for Weddings – Get Started Without Going into Debt!
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Nikon Lenses for Weddings – Get Started Without Going into Debt!

Are you hoping to get started in the wonderful world of wedding photography but feel you are unable to at the moment because of the expense of equipment?  Don’t be.  I am here to show you 3 of my favorite Nikon lenses for weddings that we just about exclusively use for every single engagement and…

5 Top Reasons Why You Need a 50mm Lens! [Updated for 2021]
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5 Top Reasons Why You Need a 50mm Lens! [Updated for 2021]

What is a 50 mm lens good for?  Here are our top five reasons every photographer should consider adding this to their camera bag! It doesn’t matter if you shoot Canon, Nikon, Sony or any other camera brand, the fact is, every photographer should own a 50mm lens! The amazing thing about a 50mm prime…

Nikon 105mm f/2.8 VR Macro Lens Review – Should You Buy One?
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Nikon 105mm f/2.8 VR Macro Lens Review – Should You Buy One?

In need of a macro lens? You’re in the right place! Here’s a practical lens review of the Nikon 105mm f/2.8 VR macro. It’s no secret that I absolutely love shooting prime lenses.  In fact, when I first started Cole’s Classroom, the first video that I recorded was our “Must Have Wedding Equipment.” In that…